Pennsylvania Minor Parties File Brief in 3rd Circuit

On October 20, the Constitution, Green and Libertarian Parties of Pennsylvania filed this 39-page brief in the Third Circuit. The case is Constitution Party of Pennsylvania v Cortes, 10-3205. The issues are the Pennsylvania challenge system that subjects minor parties and independent candidates to the risk of paying up to $100,000 if they submit a petition that is insufficient; Pennsylvania’s abysmal record of counting and tallying write-ins; and the state’s threshold for a party to be ballot-qualified without petitioning. That threshold is that it have registration membership of 15% of the state total, a hurdle so high that if the same law existed in Utah, the Democratic Party would not be on the ballot; and if it existed in the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island, the Republican Party would not be ballot-qualified.

The U.S. District Court had refused to adjudicate the lawsuit on the grounds that the plaintiffs lack standing or their claims are not ripe.

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Pennsylvania Minor Parties File Brief in 3rd Circuit — 7 Comments

Here in Alaska, the Democratic Party would qualify … barely. It has 15.099% voter registration. Over 52% of the registered voters here don’t aren’t registered for any party (either “undeclared” or “nonpartisan”).

I’m dropping in now to highlight our new IndependentGreen Youtube Channel. Our recent Draft Bloomberg Committee Press Conference featuring Green Party candidates across the country we decided to launch the new video channel.

I thank all the great Green Party candidates who participated. The 2 hours flew. We apologize that time ran out, and we were unable to get to all the Green Party candidates who wanted to participate.

If possible, we’ll do it again.

We hope to have about 50 videos of Green Party candidates posted to the Independentgreen Youtube channel shortly.

The purpose and content of our Press conference has been misreported, and misrepresented elsewhere.

This shall serve to begin to correct the record.

Directly from the Press Release…

Where: National Press Club: the Bloomberg Room

What: Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg, America’s leading Independent to lead in forming America’s Third Major Party.

Who: Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg, Independent Green, and Green Party candidates on the ballot in 2010.

How: Combine Independents, Independence and Green Parties to create America’s Third Major Party.

This Press Conference and forum features Green Party candidates on the ballot eager to join Michael Bloomberg and Independents to turn the Green Party into America’s Third Major Party. Many Green Party local, state, and federal candidates on the ballot will be introduced. They will discuss their campaigns and positive solutions in 2010.

Here’s one of the videos with
Simon Ribeiro – Illinois Green Party
on speaker phone participating in press conference..